Trelawny 4, Penzance v Mousehole Report

[cornishteddyboy]

Trelawny Division 4
Tuesday 12th September 2017
Penzance Reserves 4-2 Mousehole 3rds
Att – 47

(Tropical hurricane/storm/gusting wind and drizzle) Aileen tried to ruin a good game of football, a tense derby between two teams that should be there or there abouts at the end of the season.
Six goals, two of them classics, saw The Magpies defeat The Seagulls and climb back to the top of the Division with a 100% record, whilst their opponents stay in third place with one win from three games. Obviously it is early days yet and hopes mustn't be raised for either side but both managers must be pleased with the way their teams played at times.

Mousehole, playing with twelfth man (storm) Aileen behind them come out of their blocks at 100mph and force Penzance into some desperate defending to keep them at bay. A weak back-pass sees keeper Simon Mortimer forced to make a great double block from point-blank range to keep the 'Gulls from dropping an egg in the net.

Mousehole have several corners in a row with the 'Pies clearing their lines by booting long, blocking on the line or flicking it over for another corner.

Penzance hold against this pressure for 7 minutes before the visitors take the lead. Another back-pass sees a Mousehole forward run onto it down the left channel before striking the ball low under the advancing keeper from 15yds out.

Penzance have to get a hurry on as both sides agreed with the referee before kick-off to shorten the game to 70 minutes. So now they apply pressure up the other end as Aileen seems to have left the game with the wind dropping leaving them the chance to knock long balls into the Mousehole box. Nothing comes of these so they play on the ground winning a free kick in the 10th minutes, out left. The ball is knocked in, it's pushed out right to the corner of the 18yd box where Ben Carroll fires in low to the back post with a great curler to put the hosts level, 1-1.

This is the impetus that Penzance need and they pile on the pressure looking to go ahead. Mousehole defend well and look threatening with a couple of breaks of their own but Mortimer is alert and scoops up the long balls.

In the 14th minute Penzance win a corner on the right. Tristan Hunter puts in an inch perfect ball to Captain Lee Goodall, who leaps like a fish clearing a waterfall on it's way to the spawning grounds, to head the ball down and into the net, 2-1.

The game then becomes an end to end affair until the end of the half. Mousehole look quick and thretening on the break but poor finishing and Penzance's use of a high back four keep them at bay. At the other end Penzance have their own chances but weak finishing is their undoing.
H-T

Of and on during the second half the wind and rain keeps coming back to try and cause havoc but both sides play well.

The first 15 minutes of the half starts as much the same as the first ended with both sides wasting scoring chances. We wait until the 50th minute before Penzance increase their lead with one of the simplest but best goals seen at Penlee park for a long while. They win the ball on the right, run forward to the goal-line, square to Ryan Weeks who leaps, turns and volleys in one movement shooting with such force that the ball is in the net before anyone else moves. Real “Roy of the Rovers” stuff. Such a simple movement, three touches and a superb finish. Worth the entrance fee.

Six minutes later Mousehole pull a goal back, with a great goal of their own. As with the Magpies goal, they break right, square it to the back post for a 10yd screaming volley. 3-2, game on.

With Penzance playing their high back four Mousehole were going to be called off-side several times much to their frustration. In one such attack they had two off-side (I was in-line and they were), up goes the flag, the striker runs on, rounds the keeper and puts the ball into the net. The referee indicates a goal, Mousehole celebrate, but then the referee spots the flag. He has a chat with the lino and indicates off-side causing several Mousehole players to have “words” with the official. No matter what Mousehole say, they were off-side and well done to the referee who stands firm.

The game then becomes a tense battle between the sides with Penzance defending their slim lead. Once again both sides miss chances to score.

With the referee checking both his watches, The Magpies make the game safe in the final minute. A long ball down the right wing is squared for Luke Carroll to bag his sixth goal of the season with a 10yd low powerful volley.

The game finishes moments later, cheers for both sides and it is a quick dash home or into the bar before Aileen tips more rain onto our heads.